Portable folding table or seat.



P. J. RISDON.

PORTABLE FOLDING TABLE 0R SEAT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15. 1914.

1,238,338.: PatentedAlig. 28,1917.

Wirnesses, lnvenror;

/M%- Philip James Risdon M f W byMMaW ATTysQ FH'ILIP J. RISDON, OF FINSBURY, LONDON, ENGLAND.

PORTABLE FOLDING TABLE OR SEAT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 28-, 1917.

Application filed .Tune 15, 1914. Serial No. 845,039.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP JAMES Ris- DON, a. subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing. at Finsbury, London, England, have invented new and useful Im provements in Portable Folding Tables or Seats, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in portable, folding tables or seats, and its object is to provide an improved table or seat of the type having a two-part folding top, a folding truss structure for preventing sagging at the hinge and fold ing legs which are hingedly connected to and are foldable upon the two parts of the said top so that when not required for use the complete table can be folded up to occupy a small space.

In accordance with my invention a truss device consisting of struts and two-part stay bars is provided for preventing the table or seat top sagging or yielding at the hinge when the table or seat is in use, the truss members being adapted to fold up automati cally and to lie between the two parts of the top or alongside same when the table is folded, and the said top is preferably constructed as hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the middle portion and one end portion of a table constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 shows the middle portion as in Fig. 1 but on a larger scale in full lines, and partially folded in dot-and-dash lines.

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the middle portion of the table on the same scale as in Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is an end view of the folded table.

In the construction shown in the drawings, each half of the table top consists of a comparatively thin top piece A secured upon longitudinal bars B. The two halves abut against each. other when the table is opened out and they are strengthened at these abutting ends by transverse bars a, made for example of brass. Hinge plates 7) are secured to the bars B, and a rod C forms a common hingepin for the two pairs of hinges.

The truss device shown in Figs. 1 to 3 consists of struts D mounted on and depending from the hinge rod C and two-part truss or stay bars. EF pivotally connected on the one hand at e to the depending ends of the struts D and on the other hand at 7 to plates cl fixed on the sides of the bars B, the two parts E.F of the said truss bars being pivotally connected to each other at 9. When the table is fully opened out, stops II on the plates (Z prevent the bars F from swinging farther inward on the pivots f.

The length of the parts E and F is such that the distance from the hinge pin to the pivot 7" plus the'length of the bar F is equal to the length of the bar E plus the length of the strut D, so that the two bars E and F lie side by side when the table is folded, the bars E being in alinementwith the relative struts D. This arrangement may be varied by reversing the bars EFi. c. pivoting F at e and E at f-and causing the shorter bars F to swing upward and to lie ,alongside the relative struts D when folded, the stops H being in this case dis.

pensed with and suitable stops being provided on the bars themselves. The provision of stops as indicated insures that the bars will fold up automatically when the table top is being folded.

The table is supported at each end when set up for use on legs which as already indicated are adapted to be folded between the two parts of the table top. If the table is intended to be used only on comparatively level ground a pair of legs J at each end of the table will suffiee. These legs are pivotally mounted on rods M carried at each end of the table by hinge plates N secured to the bars B, stays P being provided to limit the outward movement of the said legs. The stays are preferably flat metal bars in two parts pivotally connected at p (Fig. :11) so that they fold up together with the egs.

To adapt the table to be set up so as to present a horizontal surface on sloping ground, I may provide it with a third leg at one or both ends, the said leg being pivoted between the other two on the rod M so that the three legs form a tripod stand.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A folding table or seat having a top in two parts hinged together to fold downwardly, legs pivotally mounted at each end of the top to fold upwardly thereagainst, and a truss device consisting of struts pivotally connected to the table co-axially with the pivotal connection of the two parts of the top, and stays pivotally connected to the lower end of the struts and to the two parts of the top, each stay being made in two sections pivotally connected together and having such relative lengths that the combined length of the strut and the stay section which is pivoted thereto is equal to the combined lengths of the section of the stay which is pivoted to the table top and the distance between the pivotal connection of said stay section with the table top and the point of pivotal connection between the two parts of the top.

2. The combination with a table or seat having a top in two parts hinged together to fold downwardly upon each other and legs hingedly mounted at each end of the said top to fold between the two parts thereof, of a truss device consisting of struts depending from a rod that forms ahinge pin for the said two parts, two-part hinged stay bars at each side of the said struts pivotally connected at one end to the depending ends of the said struts and at their other ends to the said top, and stops on the table sections to prevent the two parts of the stay bars from turning into alinement with each other, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

P. J. RISDON.

Witnesses:

CHAS. E. DEE, A. E. WILLIAMS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0. 

